How to Nutritional Supplements for Depression

Depression is a serious and often debilitating mental health disorder that affects all areas of a person’s life, and can cause symptoms such as negative thoughts, a low mood, excessive crying, loss of appetite, low energy, loss of sex drive, weight gain or loss, suicidal thoughts, and trouble sleeping. Treatment for depression is typically a combination of psychotherapy and antidepressant medication, but standard treatment options are not effective for all people. Antidepressants, when taken in doses high enough to provide relief from the symptoms of depression, often result in severe side effects. For this reason, many people turn to nutritional supplements to ease the pain of their depressive symptoms.Whether you are looking to enhance the effects of your current prescription medication, or hope to ease your depression through the use of natural remedies alone, nutritional supplements for depression may offer you the relief that you have been seeking. It is important to remember that not all supplements work for everyone, and that any change in treatment should be discussed with your doctor prior to beginning supplementation. Some supplements should not be taken with prescription medications, so be certain to check with your doctor about each specific nutritional supplement you are interested in trying.

Instructions

• 1

  Research your options, and make a list of any supplements you would like to try. Some nutritional supplements that have been shown to be effective for the treatment of depression include St. John’s Wort, SAM-e, 5-HTP, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, B-Complex, Calcium, Magnesium, Ginseng, and Gingko Biloba.

• 2

  Consult with your doctor or mental health professional, and develop a plan. There are numerous herbs, amino acids, and other nutritional supplements available for the treatment of depression, but some may be contraindicated because of your personal medical history or diagnosis. Some may be more effective than others, and all should be discussed with your treating physician before beginning treatment.

• 3

  Introduce one nutritional supplement at a time. This will enable you to accurately determine how effective each supplement is, and will make it easier to establish which supplements are responsible for any allergies or negative reactions you experience. St. John’s Wort, for example, can cause a rash in some people, and SAM-e can result in insomnia.

• 4

  Increase the dose of your nutritional supplement slowly. Just like when beginning treatment with a prescription medication, you must allow your body time to adjust to the new supplement before increasing the dosage. You should wait a minimum of two weeks before increasing the dose of your nutritional supplement, and a minimum of 4 weeks before adding in another supplement.

• 5

  Record any changes in your mood to determine which supplements are effective and which are not. Discuss your progress regularly with your treating physician, and mention any adverse reactions immediately.